Actress Leah Remini spoke with two of the alleged victims of Scientologist and That ’70s Show actor Danny Masterson in the two-hour series finale of her show, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath.
The accusers allege that the actor raped them as they spoke publicly for the first time about the actor and their life in the Church.
The Emmy-nominated show finally aired the special following a two-year postponement in order to avoid compromising an official LAPD investigation into the claims.
Masterson has faced multiple accusations of rape from different women and the actor is currently being sued by four women who claim he and the Church of Scientology have stalked and intimidated them after they filed reports again the star.
Marie Bobette Riales dated Masterson for six years and claims that in 2002, he repeatedly drugged and sexually assaulted her while she was unconscious.
And Chrissie Bixler, who also dated and lived with Masterson in the ’90s, has claimed that he was ‘controlling and violent’ during their time together and alleges that he once dragged her across the room because she did not want to have sex with him.
Both Masterson and the church have denied all charges of assault, illegal activity, and conspiracy.
In the episode, Bixler also recalled a time when Masterson reportedly drugged her and had sex with her while she was unconscious.
She alleges that when she told an ethics officer at the church they reportedly told her to stop calling it rape because the couple were in a relationship. Bixler was also allegedly told that if she reported the rape then she could be declared a ‘Suppressive Person’ which would mean being kicked out of the church.
Riales claims she was moved to come forward after hearing Bixler’s story and recognising similarities from her own experience.
‘I thought, there’s no way that you would know that,” she explained. ‘That’s mystory. That’s my life. And so I spoke.’
The LAPD investigation into Masterson is still ongoing, and investigators told Remini in a statement that they are seeking more information.
The Church released a statement denying all claims with a spokesperson telling The Daily Beast: ‘The Church adamantly denies that it ever ignores any allegations of criminal behavior, especially at the expense of alleged victims.’
They added: ‘What is being stated is utterly untrue. This has nothing to do with religion. This story is being manipulated to push a bigoted agenda.
‘The Church follows all laws and cooperates with law enforcement. Any statement or implication to the contrary is false.’
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